


What Will Become of Us

by KnownAsEmrys



Series: A Moth To A Flame [1]
Category: Fear the Walking Dead (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Fluff and Smut, Getting Together, M/M, Set during and after Sleigh Ride
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-05-07
Updated: 2018-05-07
Packaged: 2019-05-02 01:47:44
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,984
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14534025
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/KnownAsEmrys/pseuds/KnownAsEmrys
Summary: Madison pinches the bridge of her nose, then shakes her finger at Nick.  "You know, I knew he had a strange fixation with you, but you...you're drawn to him like a moth to a flame, Nick. What is it? What is it about him that attracts you so much?"Or in which Nick prevents Madison from killing Troy and things go a bit differently.





	What Will Become of Us

**Author's Note:**

> Title taken from the song of the same name by Phillip Phillips
> 
> Just wanted to write something about these two and here we are.
> 
> I apologise for any spelling/grammar mistakes! I only did a quick editing sweep!

"We gotta get outta here," Nick says as soon as he sees his mother and Troy. He jumps down onto the dirt. He's out of breath, but knows he has to get these words out.  "Strand sold out Daniel and Lola to the proctors."

Nick tries to catch his breath as he walks over to stand in front of Troy, 

"We have to warn them," Madison says. 

Nick turns to face her. "No, no, no - " 

"Victor brought this on himself." Madison says. "He should've come to me." 

"We can't because if Daniel sees Troy he'll kill him." Nick tells her, stealing a glance at Troy. 

"Why would Daniel want to kill Troy?" Madison asks, clearly confused. 

Nick shrugs hoping to keep Troy safe even if it was only for a little longer. 

Madison's gaze flicked to the boy standing behind him, staring at him with a question in her eyes. 

Troy stares back, seeming to consider his answer. 

 _Don't tell her,_ Nick silently pleads, looking back at him to try to silently convey the words.  

"I led the horde to the ranch," Troy says and Nick fills with dread. "It wasn't right that the Indians had it."

"Indians?" Madison repeats. "We all had it, Troy. We  _all_  had it."

Troy shakes his head. "No, not all of us. You  _exiled_  me."

"I let you live." Madison tells him. "I convinced walker to spare you. I let you live. After all I did - all we did to keep the peace to make it work. You took  _everything_  from me."

Troy scoffs. "What about what you took from  _me_?"

Madison has a hard look in her eyes as she says, "My husband."

"My father. "

Madison takes a step forward. "My children."

"My brother." Troy shoots back. 

" _You_  got Jake killed. You got 'em  _all_  killed. You had  _no_  right!"

"I had  _every_  right. I had  _every_  every right. That was my  _home_! And  _you_  gave me that right. You allowed me to run."

Nick eyes his mother cautiously, fully aware of the hammer in her hand. 

"I'd do it all again -  _all_  of it Madison and you would too - you know you would." Troy says. 

Nick can feel what is about to happen and knows he can't let it. 

Troy continues on, unaware, "Cos you  _understand_  and you  _see_  things -" 

Nick pulls Troy out of the way of Madison's hammer just in time. 

Madison swings again, but Nick manages to shove Troy behind him, using his own body as a shield. 

"Get out of the way, Nick." Madison says in a warning tone. 

"You think I'm just going to let you kill him?" Nick questions. 

"He almost  _killed_  Alicia, Nick."  Madison says, trying to get around him, but Nick maneuvers just right to stop her. 

"And he's a piece of shit for that, and everything else he's done, but he's helping now. He can  _still_  help." Nick tells her, reaching behind him to grab onto the bottom of Troy's shirt, tugging on it slightly to get him to speak. 

Madison tries to get around him again, but Nick doesn't let her. He will protect Troy, he will. He'll find a way. 

"I can." Troy says. "Someone has to stay behind with the detonator - might as well be me."

For a moment, it seems as if Madison is going to attack again, but then she offers the hammer to Nick who takes it. 

"Fine, but this isn't over," Madison tells him firmly. 

Nick nods, relief flooding through him as Madison stalks her way to the exit. He lets go of Troy's shirt and turns to face him. The other boy has an odd glint in his eye as he stares at Nick. 

"Come on," Nick says, gesturing for Troy to follow him. 

 

* * *

 

Nick hears Madison whisper to Strand to hug Troy and slip him the detonator, but he isn't going to let that happen, never intended to. Nick pulls Strand into a hug next, kissing his cheek to cover the fact that he needs to shift to lift the detonator off of him. 

Strand goes to hug Troy next, but when he's meant to slip him the detonator, he looks back at Nick with wide eyes, then over to Madison. She immediately looks to Nick. 

Nick raises the detonator in the air so all the proctors can see it. One of them raises his gun as Nick walks forward. 

"Tell him to put his gun down," Nick says, stopping briefly. 

"Put your gun down," Proctor John orders. 

The man does. 

Nick walks over to the fence,  staring out at the water for a moment, then turning around again to walk back to his original position by the opposite fence. It was obvious what he needed to do - get his mother and Alicia to safety, Troy too. He spots the zodiac by the small dock and now he knows how to accomplish that. 

This is all he has - all he can do to keep them alive for now, even if it only buys them a few more minutes. 

"My mom, my friend, and my sister are going to take a zodiac across the lake," he states. 

"Nick, don't do this," Madison begs.

"Just go as far up river as you can," Nick tells her, trying not to let any emotion through. 

"We'll pursue them." Proctor John tells him.

"They'll get a head start." Nick looks over at him, then turns to face his family. 

"Nick, just come with us, please," Alicia pleads quietly. 

"He can't do that nurse," Proctor John says matter of factly. "The detonator has a range. "

Nick looks over his shoulder at him. 

"You go with them you lose your leverage, right?" Proctor John guesses.

"I'm not negotiating, John," Nick says, turning to face him fully. "This is my suicide note."

Proctor John looks intrigued as he studies Nick for any hint of a bluff. "Certainly seems to be."

"Nicky - " Troy starts, but Nick silences him with a look and turns to look at his mother.

"Go." He tells Madison. " Cos you have no choice. If you don't go, we all die. Just go, mom." She hesitates. "Mom, please," he quietly begs."Go."

Madison nods, grabbing Alicia's arm and pulling her along as she walks away. 

Troy steps in front of him. "I'm not leaving you, Nicky. If this is your suicide note, it's mine too."

Nick wants to protest, wants to protect Troy one last time, but he knows Madison will only kill him once he's gone. Maybe dying together is the only mercy Nick can offer him in the end. Nick nods, Troy patting his shoulder before taking his place by Nick's side. 

He turns around to Strand.  "Victor, get in the boat."

"I can't." Victor protests. 

"You wanted mercy," Nick says, voice strained from the effort its taking not to cry. "Here it is. Just take care of them all right?"

Victor nods, tears filling his eyes before he follows after Alicia and Madison. 

"It's all right," John tells his men. "We'll find them later."

Nick shakes his head. " _You_ don't survive this."

"Oh, I wouldn't be so sure." Proctor John says, taking a few steps forward." Many a slip between cup and lip. I'm interested to see how this all plays out. Not well for you either way I'm afraid. 

"I'm not afraid of dying." Nick tells him, 

Proctor John looked amused. "The bravado of the junkie Christ." His eyes flick to Nick's hand, then back to meet Nick's gaze. "That detonator real?" 

Nick arms the detonator, Troy stepping forward in warning to get Proctor John to back up. A few minutes go by with them all standing around staring each other down. 

Nick looks down at the water where he sees his family getting on the boat. 

_Just a few more minutes._

"Get the detonator," Proctor John orders. 

Troy places himself in between Nick and the Proctors, ready to fight them all off if need be. 

Suddenly, one of the proctors falls as a shot rings out. And then more and more. He sees Troy grab a gun from one of the dead proctors and point it at Proctor John. 

" _You_ don't survive this," Troy reminds him. 

They're back in a stalemate, neither side moving, just watching, waiting. 

Nick looks back towards the water where he sees his mother staring at him from the boat as it makes it way up river.  He just needs them a little farther up and he can do it. 

Unfortunately, Proctor John tries for the detonator again.  Troy shoots him, but the rest of the proctors surge forward to get it.

Nick flicks the second switch. 

 

* * *

 

When Nick wakes, it's to the feeling of hands pressing into his chest repeatedly.  

"Come on, Nicky, you can't die on me now," he hears Troy say. 

Nick starts coughing up water before he can even open his eyes. Troy turns him on his side and pats him on the back as he gets it all out. 

Nick falls onto his back afterwards, trying to catch his breath. "Where are we?" He asks, taking in the concrete embankment he's lying on, water flowing barely half a foot from him. 

People are swarming around the water, trying to collect as much as they can. 

"I don't know," Troy says. "I was a little busy saving your life to ask."

Nick chuckles despite himself as he sits up. 

"So, what’s the plan?" Troy asks, sitting next to Nick.

"We have to find my family."

Troy nods. "They'll probably be farther down."

"Yeah."

Nick forces himself to his feet after he's caught his breath. He’s exhausted, but it won't be long before nightfall so he needs to power through. He offers his hand out to help Troy up.

Troy doesn't let go of his hand right away, instead squeezing it slightly as he stares into Nick's eyes. Nick just stares back, not sure what Troy is searching his face for. 

After a moment, Troy lets go and says, "Come on. We don't have much time."

Nick nods, frowning once Troy isn't looking at him. 

_What was that?_

 

* * *

 

They walk along the river not finding Alicia, Madison, or Strand as they do, only finding part of the zodiac as they go. 

"We should find somewhere to set up for the night," Troy says about half an hour after the sun has set. 

Nick doesn't want to stop looking for his family, but he knows he can't keep walking forever, his feet are already getting tired. "This way," Nick says after picking a street to walk down. 

Nick takes out an infected, and they cover themselves with blood so they can move through the streets with ease. Well, relative ease. Troy practically glues himself to Nick's side, still unsure about the blood being enough protection. 

Troy nudges him after a while of walking with a small herd. Nick looks at him curiously and sees him gesture to small, abandoned, motel. Nick nods and they quietly slip out of the group of infected. 

There are a few stragglers hanging around the motel, but they take them out without any fuss and scout out the rooms. It's as they inspect room number nine that Troy quietly says, "Nicky."

Nick turns around and sees - "Alicia?" - standing behind Troy. 

"Nick." Alicia lowers the gun she had had raised to the back of Troy's head and surges forward to hug him. 

He hugs her back tightly. 

"I thought you were dead," she tells him in a tone that breaks his heart. 

"I don't die."

Alicia pulls away after a long moment, wiping her eyes quickly. 

"Where's mom and Strand?" Nick asks. 

"They're in room sixteen." Alicia answers, finally putting her gun away. "I was trying to find a room for the night when I noticed you guys creeping around."

"I should go see them. " Nick says, then he turns to Troy. "Find us some food and a room."

"Aww. I don't get to be a part of the  _heartwarming_  family reunion?" Troy asks sarcastically. 

Nick glares at him. "Don't start, Troy."

Troy, oddly enough, seems to wilt under his gaze.  "Fine."

Alicia leads Nick to room sixteen while Troy starts going through the mini-fridge. Madison and Strand are deep in conversation when they enter the room, Strand cutting himself off mid-sentence when he sees Nick. 

"Nick!" Madison gets up immediately to hug him briefly then inspect him, before hugging him again. "Are you okay? Are you hurt?"

Nick hugs her back tight, smiling at the relief in her voice.  "I'm fine."

Madison pulls way for good this time.

"How did you find us?" Strand asks. 

"Uh - dumb luck?" Nick supplies. "Troy saw the motel so we - "

"Troy's still alive?" Madison asks, and she sounds far from happy now, face hard as stone. 

"Yeah. And a good thing he is. He pulled me from the river," Nick told her firmly. He doesn't want to fight about this, especially after finding each other again. 

Madison's expression doesn't change. "Alicia, Victor, could you give me a moment alone with Nick?"

"Mom - " Alicia tries, but Nick shakes his head at her. 

Strand gets off the bed and pats Nick's shoulder as he walks past him. "Glad to see you again."

Nick smiles at him. "You too."

Alicia and Strand leave the room. Nick sits down in a horrendous looking chair, tired from everything he had to face that day. 

"He can't stay," Madison says, coming to stand over him. 

"He's useful."

"He's insane."

"There's safety in numbers."

"Not when one of those numbers is a ticking time bomb," Madison points out. 

"I can keep him from going off." He doesn't know that for sure, but he'll try. 

Madison looks exasperated. "Why do you insist on protecting him?"

"Because that's what friends do, isn't it?" 

Madison stares at him for a long moment. "You were never gonna let him stay behind, were you?" she asks, though it sounds like she knows the answer already. 

Nick shakes his head. 

Madison pinches the bridge of her nose, then shakes her finger at Nick.  "You know, I  _knew_  he had a strange fixation with you, but you...you're drawn to him like a moth to a flame, Nick. What is it? What is it about him that attracts you so much?"

Nick doesn't look at her as he says, "He reminds me of...of me."

Madison shakes her head vigorously. "No. You're _nothing_ like him, Nick! He's out of his mind!"

Nick looks up at her challengingly. "And I'm not?"

"No," she insists, but he sees the uncertainty in her eyes.

Nick sits up in his chair. He just want to get past this already. "Look, I'll keep an eye on him."

"Yeah? Well look what happened the last time you said that." Madison jibes. 

Nick prickles at that. "I'm not going to let you kill him and I'm not letting you kick him out." Nick tells her, anger seeping into his tone. "Either you learn to live _with_ Troy or you learn to live _without_ me."

Madison glares at him, jaw clenched tight. 

Nick holds her gaze defiantly. He doesn't want to leave his family, he really doesn't, but he can't abandon Troy. He just hopes Madison doesn't call him on his bluff. 

Silence stretches between them for a long moment.

"Just remember that the moth always gets burned up," Madison says eventually.

Nick notes the genuine concern in her expression. "He won't kill me."

"How do you know?" Madison asks. 

Nick doesn't know how to explain that so he simply says,  "He’s my friend."

Madison studies him, considering her options, then says, "If he does  _anything_  to jeopardize the life of anyone in this group, I  _will_ kill him, Nick. "

"I know." Nick tells her because he does. 

Madison finally deflates. "We should get some sleep."

Nick nods, standing up. "I'll see you in the morning."

When he leaves, he finds Troy leaning against the wall next to the door. His face is clean, all traces of blood gone. 

"Did you find us a room?" Nick asks. 

"Room nine has plenty of food and is relatively clean." Troy informs him. "Only one bed though."

Nick shrugs and starts walking. "It'll be easier to make sure no one murders you in your sleep."

"You mean, Madison?" Troy guesses, walking next to him. 

"Maybe."

"Think she'll ever forgive me?" Troy asks. 

"Who knows, but do me a favor and try not to give her a reason to kill you cos I don't know if I can stop her again," Nick says. 

"Would you even try?"

Nick looks over at him, can see how important his answer is to Troy in his blue eyes. "Yeah. Look, I said it before and I'll say it again, I don't want you to die, Troy."

Troy looks away, a small smile on his face. "I don't want you to die either, Nicky."

Nick mirrors his smile, but doesn't say anything. 

"I heard what you said to Madison," Troy says once they're in their room. 

Nick makes a beeline for the sink, while Troy shuts the door. "You did?"

"Some of it - Yeah," Troy confirms. 

Nick turns on the sink and starts washing the blood off his face. He'll take a shower too, but not yet. 

"You protected me again, Nicky."

Nick keeps washing his face, grabbing a hand towel to help wipe it off. "And I'll keep protecting you Troy, but that doesn't mean you can just go around doing whatever you want."

Troy doesn't respond immediately, but Nick is too busy getting off the blood to think anything of it. 

"What if the only thing I want to do is _you_?" Troy asks, suddenly sounding a lot closer than a moment ago. Nick wipes the bloody water off his eyes and sees Troy standing behind him in the mirror, can feel the heat radiating off his body.

Troy doesn't move an inch, just watches Nick in the mirror. 

Nick shuts off the water, then he turns around to face Troy, not much space between them at all. They stare at each other in anticipation. 

"Troy," Nick says, voice rough, but loud in the heavy silence.

Troy starts leaning in, slowly at first, but then he surges forward when Nick doesn't make to stop him or move away, his lips clumsily bumping into Nick's. Nick closes his eyes and starts kissing him back. 

_Is this what I want from Troy?_

Nick places his hand on Troy's chest and pushes him away. Troy opens his eyes to look at Nick curiously.

The last few days with Troy have been confusing, intimate, but fun, addicting, and Nick can't deny that they understand each other in a way no one else can. Maybe it means they're no good for each other, maybe it means they're good _only_ for each other. Maybe it doesn't matter, maybe all that matters is what Nick wants, what he craves. 

And right now, all he wants is Troy. 

Nick grabs Troy's face with both of his hands and kisses him again, this time very heatedly because _this_ , this is something vital, something only Troy can offer, something only Nick can take.  He pushes Troy against the neartest wall, and Troy's only response is to switch their positions so Nick is the one pinned. 

Nick feels his cock harden, feels the desire simmering in his belly as Troy licks the seam of his lips. He opens his mouth, allowing Troy's tongue to slip in and deepen the kiss. And it feels good, so good to kiss Troy - so good to feel just _how_ _much_ Troy wants him as he presses into him. 

It's a heady feeling, but there's just one problem.

Nick pulls away from him, settling his hand on Troy's chest to keep him back. Troy rests his forehead against Nick's, panting slightly. 

"Shower first," Nick says a bit breathlessly. 

"Nicky," Troy groans, throwing his head back in frustration. 

"I'm not sucking your cock until I know it's clean." Nick tells him firmly. " I'm not catching an STD in the damn apocalypse."

Troy's chuckle quickly turns into a hearty laugh. "Okay, okay."

Troy kisses him one more time, then backs away to take off his clothes. He doesn't do anything special, but he never stops looking at Nick as he does. Nick can't help but check Troy out once he's on full display, he's all well defined muscles, and tanned skin. 

 _He **would** have abs, _ Nick thinks before his eyes drift lower. 

Troy's cock is hard, thick, and upturned towards his belly. He wraps his hand around himself, stroking himself lazily. 

"Like what you see, Nicky?" 

Troy's cocky grin greets Nick as he looks up to meet his gaze. Nick steps into his personal space, putting his hand over the one Troy's using to touch himself. 

Nick pushes Troy's hand against his cock. Troy's breath hitches.  "I do, and I _really_ need to know if you taste as good as you look, but I'm not touching you until after you shower ."

Troy groans softly, leaning in to brush his lips against Nick's. "I hear you, Nicky, loud and clear." He kisses Nick again - a promise of what's to come - then finally goes to shower. 

Nick has to take a moment to calm himself down, pressing down his own erection with the heel of his palm. His pants are still wet from being in the river - all of his clothes are - and decides that's what he needs to take care of at the moment. 

Nick picks up Troy's wet clothes, tossing his underwear towards the sink before hanging up the rest on hangars he finds in the small wardrobe by the TV. He checks to make sure the door is locked and that no light can escape the room, but it appears Troy had already taken care of that. Next, he he takes off his own clothes, tossing his underwear by the sink, then hanging up his shirt and pants next to Troy's in the wardrobe. 

He'll look for more soap to wash the rest of their clothes in the morning, but for now he'll settle for just getting clean underwear. By the time he’s washed both their underwear and set them to dry, Troy gets out of the shower, slapping Nick on the ass and telling him it's his turn. 

It seems Troy's feeling confident now, but Nick supposes a guaranteed lay would make anyone feel that way. He gets in the shower, choosing to relish in it just a bit as he finally starts to feel clean, the weight of the day finally catching up with him. 

He wants Troy too much to not follow through with their plans, but he'll have to take him apart quickly. 

Troy's waiting for him on the bed eating, the towel wrapped around his waist catching a chocolate covered peanut he drops when he sees Nick standing there fully naked. He pops it into his mouth and grabs a packet of orange, peanut butter filled crackers. 

"You should eat," Troy says. 

Nick walks over and grabs the crackers, then the small water bottle Troy hands him. He climbs over Troy to sit next to him on the bed. He discovers the bag of peanuts, as well as candy, and more crackers. 

He digs into the crackers, only realizing how hungry he is now that he's got food in his hands. 

"Did you mean what you said to Madison earlier?" Troy asks, drawing Nick's attention to him. 

Nick raises his eyebrow - a silent prompting for him to be more specific. 

"That you’d leave if she didn't let me stay."

Nick slows his chewing to buy time. 

"You can tell me the truth, Nicky." Troy assures him. 

Nick swallows once there's nothing to chew anymore. "I don't know, Troy, and I really don't want to find out."

Troy nods to himself. "Okay."

"Okay?" Nick questions. 

Troy smiles at him. "I won't make it so you have to find out. I promise, Nick."

Nick can sees he means it, but he _knows_ intentions aren't always enough. He smiles back anyway because he knows Troy will try, really try for him. 

They go back to eating, Troy eventually challenging Nick to a contest to see who can catch more peanuts in their mouth. Nick wins and Troy accuses him of throwing the peanuts too far, which leads to an argument about the proper way to throw food which somehow leads to making out. 

Nick spreads his legs so Troy can fit himself in between them, then scoots down so he's laying on his back, Troy adjusting accordingly without breaking their kiss. 

Nick pushes slightly on his chest when he needs some air, and Troy stops exploring his mouth with his tongue to kiss his neck instead. Troy pulls away after a moment to spit into his hand, then Nick feels Troy's hand move in between them, his breath hitching when he feels it wrap around his cock. 

Troy starts with slow, but firm strokes that eventually get faster once there's more spit to allow for it. He makes sure to catch his thumb on the slit each time he ends a stroke, and it slowly drives Nick crazy. He bites his bottom lip to quiet his moans, but it steadily becomes harder as Troy ravishes his neck and upper chest with his mouth. 

Nick slides his hand from where it's been resting on Troy's lower back to slip it underneath the towel, squeezing Troy's ass roughly. Troy responds by capturing Nick's lips in his own, hand moving over his cock just a little faster. 

"Come for me, Nicky," Troy whispers against his lips, and with a few more strokes, he does, Troy swallowing the sound he makes in a dirty kiss. 

Nick revels in his orgasm for only a moment and then he's rolling them over so he's on top. There's a faint crackle of a bag, but Nick barely registers it. He unties Troy's towel and gets it off him, using it to clean them both up then tosses it to the edge of the bed.

Troy places his hands on Nick's hips, then runs them up his sides. Nick grabs them, interlocking their fingers before leaning down to kiss Troy on the mouth - once, twice - then down his chin, onto his chest. He kisses over to Troy's right nipple, licking it until it's hard, Troy squeezes both of Nick's hands, letting out a soft moan. Nick grazes his teeth carefully over Troy's nipple, feeling him squirm under the attention. 

"Sensitive nipples, huh, Troy?" Nick teases before kissing his way across Troy's chest to give the other one the same treatment. 

Troy's voice is rough as he says, "Shut up."

Nick smiles. He doesn't spend too long playing with Troy's nipples, despite how much he likes the other boy's reaction, saving it for another time - if there was one. He licks and kisses his way down Troy's stomach, resisting the urge to trace the lines of his abs. 

"Nicky, please." Troy begs. "You’re driving me crazy."  

Nick takes mercy on him, finally putting his tongue where Troy wants it most, licking down from tip to base, making Troy's cock twitch. He licks his way back up, taking a moment to tease the slit before wrapping his mouth around the head and sucking down, down, until he's taken all he can. 

He lets go of Troy's left hand, taking back his right hand to wrap his fingers around what he can't fit into his mouth, while Troy's free hand buries itself in Nick's hair. Nick feels he’s almost at his limit physically, so he makes quick work of Troy, not bothering to tease anymore, licking and sucking unrelentingly,  making Troy gasp and writhe. He pulls away only when he needs to catch his breah, using his hand to stroke him off in long, firm tugs.

Just as his jaw starts to feel tired, he feels Troy tighten his grip in his hair. 

"Nicky, I'm gonna - " He cuts himself off with a loud moan, letting go of Nick's hair. 

Nick pulls off him, using one hand to jerk Troy through his orgasm, squeezing their interlocked hands with the other, watching as cum lands on Troy's abs. If Nick wasn't spent, he might've come again at the site of Troy looking so thoroughly unraveled.  

Nick grabs the towel from the edge of the bed and cleans him up, finally letting go of his hand. Once that's done, he throws the towel onto the floor and climbs up the bed to lay next to Troy, cuddling into his side. 

"I'm not much of a cuddler," Troy says. 

"You are now," Nick says, putting his head on Troy's chest. 

Troy puts his arm around him, settling his chin on the top of Nick's head, relaxing underneath him. 

Nick doesn't know if he and Troy will last, or even if this is more than a one time thing, but he does know it's what he wants right now - maybe what he’s wanted from Troy since he saw him colored in a familiar shade of self-destruction. Nick knows Madison is worried Troy will burn him up, but that's because she assumes Nick's the moth when in actuality he's the flame. 

Maybe he'll burn Troy up one day, maybe he won't, but for now he'll radiate the warmth they both need to survive.  In a world gone to hell, it was important to carve out happiness whenever and however you could. 

"Nick?" Troy says after a minute of silence. 

"Yeah?" Nick asks.

"I think the peanuts melted under my ass."

Nick erupts into laughter because it's so fucking stupid and kind of perfect after the rollercoaster of a day they've had. Troy laughs with him until Nick silences him with a kiss. 

**Author's Note:**

> Please let me know what you thought of this!


End file.
